


Stitching Cables (Sizing Up Short)

by Blackbeltkitten2



Category: There Was A Crooked Man... (1970)
Genre: 1880s, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, First Time Together, Foul Language, International Fanworks Day 2021, It feels like it's just me and a shoestring in this fandom seriously, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Prison, Sweaters, The sex goes down in the second chapter, old idiots in love, tiny fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:13:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29482764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackbeltkitten2/pseuds/Blackbeltkitten2
Summary: It started with that damned sweater.Technically, it began when they met, all those years ago, but for the sake of not having to recall a few decades worth of little nudges, itreallystarted around about the time they settled down together for good or worse.It was before midnight where I live when I posted this, but unfortunately it's after midnight wherever Ao3's servers are, so I don't know if I've slid in under the radar for IFD or not.  RIP me.(The first chapter is purely pining and fluff and a bit of cussing, and can be read as a stand-alone if you don't enjoy smut.  The second chapter is when the smut happens.)
Relationships: Dudley Whinner/Cyrus McNutt
Kudos: 1





	Stitching Cables (Sizing Up Short)

It started with that damned sweater.

Technically, it began when they met, all those years ago, but for the sake of not having to recall a few decades worth of little nudges, it _really _started around about the time they settled down together for good or worse. It hadn't been long after Cyrus had gotten out of prison and reunited with Dudley, when they found a quaint little home they could call theirs and live out their days as "old bachelors."__

__Probably the day he came home from the first day on his horrifically boring, labourous job and found Dudley in a pair of _Cyrus' _old trousers and one of _Cyrus' _old shirts, making a painting on the little back porch, actually._____ _

______Dudley wasn't tall or large in any proportion to begin with, but wearing Cyrus' clothing, trousers pooling around his ankles and loose around his waist, braces the only thing keeping them up, shirt wanting to slip from his shoulders, it made him appear even smaller._ _ _ _ _ _

______And then when he noticed Cyrus standing there, staring openly like an idiot, the little bastard had the _gall _to smile innocently and greet him with an "Alright, Cyrus?"___ _ _ _ _ _

________And then a few months later, when Cyrus woke up in the middle of the night with cottonmouth and couldn't find his dressing gown, and came downstairs in his nightshirt to find a single candle lit in the kitchen, Dudley leaning on the little counter, sipping a hot drink, and wearing his dressing gown. He got close to snapping that night._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"Trouble sleeping, Cyrus?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________It was too long, too wide. It didn't fit him through the shoulders. Cyrus swallows a couple of times._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"No, no. Just parched." He hated the rasp and feeling like he had gravel in his throat._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Dudley just nodded, and the clouds covering the moon parted enough to send beams through the window, illuminating Dudley better than the candle. The bastard didn't have on a nightshirt._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"I keep telling you to have water on your nightstand, but oh no no, you can't remember it."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Cyrus grinds his teeth and walks over to a cabinet, pulling out a mug and stepping up to Dudley in what would be an uncomfortably close proximity if it weren't for how used to each other they are, how they know each other's plays perfectly, and glances down at the nightgown._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"Well, I'll do it tonight, how about that?" Cyrus pauses for effect, which won't be lost on Dudley, before continuing, "It's awfully chilly outside."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________A smirk spreads out on Dudley's face, "Better bundle up. We wouldn't want your consumption coming back."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Tiny little rat._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"We'd have to move to New Mexico." Cyrus reaches up and grabs the quilted collar, pulling Dudley a bit closer, a half-hearted play at intimidation, "And I never want to see another desert again. So why don't you take off my dressing gown and let me bundle up, hm?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________The smirk widens into that ridiculous grin Dudley gets when he's on the verge of laughing, "Only after you back up and let me."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Cyrus drops his hand, avoids hanging his foot on a chair leg, and gives Dudley some space to move, gesturing at him to go on._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Dudley just keeps grinning as he sets his own mug down, and twirls his finger, "Turn around, no free peepshow." And with that, Dudley turns to face the counter, looking over his shoulder._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Cyrus rolls his eyes and turns around, "This wouldn't be a problem if you had the basic decency to wear a shirt. How did you get my dressing gown in the first place?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"I was out of shirts, and yours is warmer. When did you ever care for decency?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Cyrus glances over his shoulder and catches a glimpse of Dudley's bare shoulder, hip, and thigh before snapping his head back around to stare at the wall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"Put new wadding in yours, why don't you? And I care when it's my dressing gown coming into contact with your-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Cyrus hears a soft laugh and Dudley's footsteps._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"Oh, shut up. And I'll do it as soon as you come home with wool. Hold your arms out."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Cyrus does as told and feels Dudley help him get the dressing gown on, slipping it up his arms and onto his shoulders, before Dudley's hand presses to his back and urges him to turn away, facing the kitchen counter and the back door as Dudley walks towards the hall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"Goodnight, Cyrus."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Cyrus heads for the back door- mug in hand -immediately, and as he hears Dudley walking away he looks over his shoulder to catch another shadowed glimpse, a calf and foot, a hand and the side of his face, before heading outside into the cold blast of spring night air and towards the well._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________"This is what prison does to men, it drives them to their outer limits. I've gone batty."__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The third scenario, which happened exactly six weeks after the second, occurred when they were finally invited to a local gathering despite their reputations, and Dudley took a spill into mud on the way there, coating his frock sleeves and his nice, brand new vest. Cyrus couldn't stand to see the disappointment on Dudley's face and when they arrived he took off his own coat, insisting Dudley hand him his frock and vest and put his coat on._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________it only took two minutes of bickering before Dudley gave in, despite the coat fitting so poorly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Cyrus made peace with himself right then and there, and played with the collar and shoulders of the coat for a few moments just as an excuse to look, before playing just a little longer and reaching up to scuff Dudley's hair to try to pawn off the staring and fussing as a joke._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Dudley recoiled and made a face of mock anger accordingly before he even got a finger in his hair, before smiling genuinely and thanking him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Cyrus always thanks the housekeeper when he sees her, for her efforts to get the mud out before it dried in and caused even more damage, even though it made her miss half of the party._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________There were a few more less significant incidents where Dudley would be wearing one of his shirts, or his dressing gown, or a pair of his bigger socks over his own socks for extra warmth one supremely chilly night in late summer._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Then Dudley presented him with the sweater he'd seen him knitting on and off. He hadn't thought anything of it any time he saw Dudley knitting, but when he held it up- a soft, fine brown and cream striped wool thing with perfect cables, and one of the buttons that survived off of his suit before prison holding the collar shut -he broke into a grin. And Dudley followed that up with an "I've stuffed my housecoat, too. Just to shut you up."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________At that he grabbed Dudley up into a one-armed hug and laughed, "Now what am I supposed to get you that means as much to me as that, hm?" he'd said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"You'll think of something. You're real good at thinkin' after all." had been the reply._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Cyrus had worn the sweater on and off in the evenings late that summer and into fall, when it was breezy and cool enough for it, and he'd eventually built Dudley a new easel, and bought him a pair of thick socks with a cap to match. Dudley hadn't mentioned that the colours matched the sweater he'd knitted, but he had to have noticed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________And the only reason that Cyrus thinks he had to have noticed, is because several days later he got home early due to an incident at his workplace, and when Dudley didn't respond to the initial few calls of his name, Cyrus went upstairs to find Dudley in his room, sleeping peacefully on top of the covers, wearing the whole set and a pair of the lighter trousers Dudley owns._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________And now, _now _, Cyrus has been at his wit's end for a solid week straight, hoping to catch Dudley wearing at least the sweater again.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________And it was killing him. Work was a blur every day, and finding Dudley awake and all bright-eyed and wearing his own clothes every time he came home was egging him closer to outright _asking _Dudley to put the damned thing on. It was a bad idea, it would show his hand too soon. But he _wanted. _______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Then finally he caught another break, there was another incident, involving noxious fumes and lanterns instead of poorly placed explosives this time. It happened at the hand of the new hire that didn't get the training he'd needed from the boss. A supply shed was in splinters, three people were injured, seven made the effort to cough their lungs up and had vision problems, and everyone else started complaining of headaches, and so the place was cleared so the fumes could dissipate._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________After the excitement of a minor workplace tragedy, he'd almost forgotten about how loony he was going._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________That is, until he was half way home and realized that this was the prime opportunity to try to catch Dudley in the act. He hoped against hope the rest of the way home._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________When he arrives, he quietly sneaks in the back door, and creeps upstairs first, checking both his own bedroom alongside Dudley's. When they both turn up empty, his hope starts to fizzle._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He changes first before he makes his way back down stairs, resigning himself to asking Dudley before he loses his other rocker, and walks lightly into the living room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Whether it was luck or God or patience, he didn't know, but something smiled down upon Cyrus, because Dudley was laying on his side on the couch, asleep, wearing a shirt, the sweater, and the socks, a book forgotten on the side table, blanket mostly hanging off of the couch, save for a corner stuck under Dudley's feet. A small frown creased his forehead, and his hair mussed out on the pillow his head was on._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He decides it's worth waiting just a bit longer, with the luck he's had. He grabs the book- The Iliad -and opens it from the beginning as he sits down in the chair near the couch._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He only manages to read three pages between glancing up at Dudley and stewing in his own thoughts, wondering what the Hell he'll do next, before Dudley wakes up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Dudley rolls over onto his back, eyes still closed, and grunts quietly as he stretches out. Time to either make a play or give up the act._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"Sleep well, Dudley?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Cyrus has to force himself to not laugh when Dudley jolts upright with a gasp, gripping the back of the couch and twisting slightly to look over his shoulder._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"Good God, Cyrus! You coulda scared me to death!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Cyrus lowers the book enough to smile at Dudley, "Surely not."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Dudley looks down at himself and leans forwards enough to grab a bit of the blanket and pull it up around his waist, mouth agape._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"I- I've slept all day, I meant to get some chores done and work on a new sketch-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Cyrus coughs quietly, "It's barely eleven, Dudley, calm yourself. One of the new hires blew up a supply shed and filled most of the main building with fumes, the windows were all opened and everyone was sent home to let it air out."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"Oh." Dudley turns so he's seated straight on the couch, rubbing his eyes with one hand._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________"I do have one little question. Why are you wearing my sweater, and _without _leg covers?"___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Dudley sniffs and rubs his nose with the heel of his right hand, left hand twisting the blanket lightly, "I was cold. And my legs _were _covered when I fell asleep." It isn't one of his provocations, but Cyrus knows a lying Whinner when he sees one.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus shakes his head and closes the book, setting it on the table again, "Then you were too hot, so you decided to take your trousers off, and then you were cold, so you covered with a blanket?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________That must've sounded harsher than intended, because Dudley gives him a dirty glare and grabs at the hem of the sweater, "I'll take the damned thing off and go dress."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus clears his throat, "Calm down, Dudley."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley starts pulling up on it, sniffing again, "No no no, I'll take it off. You never minded sharing when we were running together, but since we're law-abidin' citizens-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus leans forwards and grabs Dudley's upper arm, "Dudley." Cyrus pauses when Dudley tenses up, and lets his grip slide down to his elbow before letting go completely, sitting back down._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"You're lying about something, Dudley. Don't try to tell me you aren't, we know each other well enough to know if we're telling the whole truth or not."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley grinds his teeth and pulls the blanket up a bit more, Cyrus knows he knows._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"We've been together this long, so you better not laugh or turn me out."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus genuinely mimes crossing his heart._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I... M-miss you, sometimes. You go away for work and most of the stuff in this house is stuff I've bought, not you, not us, so it... It almost feels like you weren't here in the first place. So I try to remind myself you're here," Dudley stares at the flowers on the worn old rug at their feet, "Painting sometimes works, but when it doesn't... I didn't know what to do with myself, so I tried cleaning until I ached, and that only worked for so long. Then I found a pair of your trousers and a shirt that was worse for wear one day and I just, put them on. It made me feel a little better, and I went back to painting, then you came home and I almost dropped my palette and I tried to pretend it didn't look suspicious."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus nods, listening raptly. He's not stopping Dudley now that he's got him going._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"And for once I couldn't tell how you felt, mouth gaping like a fish outta water. Kinda like you are now." Dudley blinks a couple of times and looks back down at the carpet, and Cyrus snaps his mouth shut, "So I stuck to hiding it. Then you got up and came down stairs and I was wearin' nothing but your dressing gown..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley looks up and gives him the most embarrassed look he's ever seen on the man._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Keep talking."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"You say that like this is easy for me. I wasn't lying when I said I was out of shirts, or that yours is warmer. But it didn't seem like you minded as much as you acted, like you said we know each other well enough to know lies and truth. So I left your dressing gown alone and stuck to things like your old street clothes, things I figured you cared less about than your undress clothes. And then you let me borrow your coat, and you stared just a little too long... Then I made you a damn sweater out of the softest yarn I could buy in town without spending a fortune, and you gave me a cap and socks from the same yarn, and your perfume clings to everything you own..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley lulls into one of his "I've said too much" silences, so Cyrus slowly moves himself onto the armrest of the couch, closer, but not too close._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I was stupid enough to think I could get away with wearin' it and not have you turn up one day and see me."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________This is where Cyrus needs to choose his words carefully, and make sure there isn't a lie woven into it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Dudley..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley looks up at him, an eyebrow raised, looking like he's expecting the worst. So Cyrus slips off of the armrest into the seat next to him, reaching out and resting his hand on Dudley's knee, which earns him another tense-up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"... It's not an issue, Dudley. A bit of a surprise, but not an issue. I have my own ways to remind myself we're better off."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley flips his left hand around at the wrist to re-situate his sleeve, and rests his hand on top of Cyrus' on his knee._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Care to fill me in on the trousers?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley huffs out a laugh and breaks into a grin, looking away across the room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"I went and got some that fit right after getting out of prison, I neglected to remember I dropped fourteen pounds... Then you got out and got a job, and now I've got most of it back. None of my trousers fit me, I've been goin' around in a big shirt with my fly open and my braces on for weeks."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus smiles and then sniffs in mock pride, "I guess I'm doing my job." Cyrus sighs and rubs the fingernails of his free hand on the front of his shirt coyly, which gets him another huff out of Dudley and a light shove to his shoulder._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Mr. Big Shot, bringing home the bread."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus twists in his seat, bringing one knee up onto the couch to fully face Dudley._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Turn a little, let me get a better look."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley mirrors him without question, rolling his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus reaches up with both hands and places them on Dudley's shoulders, lightly tugging to "situate" the sweater. Now's the time for another play. No, another move. This isn't a con._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Fine knit, big around every corner..." Dudley looks down at himself, so Cyrus moves a little closer as he speaks._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Of course it is, I'm half your size." Dudley emphasizes this by messing with the looseness of it around his middle._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cyrus decides it's now or never. He moves his hand from Dudley's shoulder to gently tilt Dudley's chin up with his knuckle. He's staring back at Cyrus' almost too-near face inquisitively with those damn beautiful periwinkle eyes, and that's what breaks the camel's back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"Stop me." he hears himself mutter, before leaning forward and pressing his lips to Dudley's. Not too firm, not too soft._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________He'd honestly expected another jolt, another tense-up. A pull back and a sniff and a stutter. Instead he gets an insistent returning kiss when he tries to pull back, a chase. A firm grip on the bunching cloth at the thigh of his trousers for stability, Dudley's other hand landing on the couch somewhere near his other thigh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"No."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________"No?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Dudley pulls back enough to give him an "Are you dull?" stare, "No, I'm not stoppin' you, you bastard. I just got you started." And with that Dudley leans forwards again, practically demanding another kiss._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
